Leeds Gig Selection: July 2013

Leeds always has plenty going on and July will be no exception, especially with the grand opening of the brand new Leeds Arena. On the 24th of July the venue opens in grandiose style with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band christening the 13,500 capacity arena, as part of his Wrecking Ball 2013 tour.

Tickets for the legendary Springsteen sold out almost instantly and the combination of such an historic performer and a brand new state of the art venue make for one of the most highly anticipated gigs to happen in Leeds in recent years.

Springsteen is one of a few iconic figures arriving in Leeds throughout the month, Sylvain Sylvain of New York Dolls and Bam Margera of Jackass fame will also be appearing. Sylvain Sylvain was the rhythm guitarist in New York Dolls before embarking on a solo career after the Dolls ended. Although his performance at The Cockpit on the 19th won’t be as crazy and hedonistic as the notorious New York gigs the Dolls had a reputation for it should still be well worth checking out. Bam Margera at the 02 Academy on the 20th should also be one to look out for. The former Jackass star, alongside his band, will be playing a selection of covers from the likes of Turbonegro, Clutch and Bloodhound Gang.

The O2 Academy will also be hosting one of the most creative American rap acts, Jurassic 5, on the 16th. Heroes of Hip-Hop’s golden age Jurassic 5 continued the success A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul had achieved prior to them. They are famed for their unique brand of vocal interplay and intelligent rhymes as well as their ability to reproduce this on stage in a vibrant and vigorous manner.

There are also three incredibly exciting gigs featuring Leeds based acts during the course of the month. The Wind-Up Birds have been around the Leeds scene for a good while now and their gigs are always occasions of great anticipation. They are not only popular amongst the fans but they are also highly regarded amongst their peers, members of other bands such as Post War Glamour Girls and This Many Boyfriends are regularly spotted in attendance. I would highly recommend heading out to their gig at The Cockpit on the 2nd if only to witness lead singer Kroyds engaging and highly individual delivery and lyrical creativity.

We are truly spoilt four choice this month with Bellowhead at Garforth Academy on the 6th, The Glass Caves at The Cockpit on the 10th and Brudenell Social Club has Japandriods on the 14th and The Thermals on the 22nd all set to be great nights.